Castalaux
Castalaux is the provincial capital of Laux region of the Kingdom of Grostere and the site of the largest port in the Kingdom. History Pelor's Glory For more information on this event, see here. Castalaux, originally named Ernport, was controlled by the family of Lord Ern a powerful merchant that set up the city in the style of the Noble States further east. During the war against the Seethe-Tenshackle Alliance, Lord Ern entered into talks with the sirithi hoping to spare his port from being assaulted by the hostile navy. When the talks were discovered by the Kingdom of Grostere the betrayal was used to muster the Noble States and other countries in the region against the Alliance. Over the course of the war, Ernport was annexed by Grostere, with Lord Ern and his family publicly executed and a new Duke placed in the position of governor. The city was renamed Castalaux, becoming the administrative capital of the Laux region. The Long Night For more information on this event, see here. The influx of refugees into Grostere brought a great number of working class to the docks during the Long Night and Castalaux benefited hugely from the cheap labour. Divine Era For more information on this event, see here. Political Structure Duke of Laux The Duke of Laux is the highest ranking noble in Laux, with his palace in Castalaux serving as his court. The current Duke Zachary is a son of Princess Abigail, Duchess of Lataine. Zachary knows the needs and desires of people of Laux, which is usually to be allowed to continue to trade. Previous Dukes The Duchess Loraine was a prominent figure in Castalaux for many years, serving at the end of Long Night and into the Divine Era. The Marquises The Marquises of Laux are those nobles that own the majority of the land in the region, though much of it is salt marshes. They would then subdivide their land to the wealthiest counts and barons of the region. The Wave Counts The Wave Counts are those nobles that have a large merchant fleet and enough wealth to purchase land from a Marq, though most serve as admirals for their naval forces and seldom spend much time in their châteaus. The Sail Barons Sail Barons are those nobles that own fleets but have no land, often being captains on a vessel in service to a Wave Count. Military Guardsmen The guardsmen of Castalaux are small in number, though quite well educated in economic law, able to serve as an impartial party in disputes over money, a common occurrence in the city. Guards from the city would also be tasked with patrolling the marsh roads that connect the city to the rest of the region. Naval Forces Castalaux has a massive navy for its size, mainly owned by the nobility of the city, the Duchess Loraine having the largest fleet that serves as the city's naval force. Economy Trade Trade is very important to Castalaux, serving as the crucial point in the Dividing Sea for trade to and from Vhir. Internal Castalaux's independent spirit has put it at odds with Grostere on a number of occasions, with the capital's taxes and tariffs often being ignored, misplaced, or not paid until the very last minute. External Okarthel is a major trading partner with Castalaux, with the Duchess making sure to keep taxes as low as possible between the Dragon Lands and Grostere. Society Haggling Haggling is everywhere in Castalaux, from the peddler on the streets to the Duchess herself, everyone in Castalaux knows how to haggle, and will drive a hard bargain from a loaf of bread to a patch of drained salt marsh ready for farming in the countryside. Religion and Faith After the city was annexed by Grostere, the Church of Pelor came with it, successfully establishing itself as part of daily life in Castalaux. The aspect of Pelor as the god of travellers is particularly popular amongst sailors. Category:Location Category:Etan Category:Grostere